After watching the movie called Your Life up to around 40 minutes, you might start to think that the director’s previous work was more convincing, and if you switched now, you would still have time to watch antoher movie. This astonishingly fine metaphor refers of course to career choices. At 40 minutes, career tests that ask if you like to use heavy machinery are a lean consolation if you’re trying to make a decision. No, at this point you need to go deeper into why you have made the choices you have made. What have you learned so far about yourself, and what is the real gift that you bring with you that could benefit this world? Here are some book and video tips that I found genuinely useful when I was chasing the answers to my career questions.
1 Laura Berman Fortgang: Find Your Dream Job Without Ever Looking At Your Resume (TEDx Talks)
We moved to Germany for my husband’s job, so the question on everybody’s lips (well, on mine to be more accurate) was of course, what I would do here. By that age, I’d already built up an impressive alright CV, if I do say so myself, and I thought it would definitely get me a job. However, when I started dealing with the employment agency and had to tick boxes for sectors and jobs based on my CV, I suddenly realised I was faking it. I did not want to apply for any of the jobs on the list! Of course I wanted to work, but my CV was taking me in a direction that somehow felt exhausting and uninspiring. My heels digged into the ground as if they had a mind of their own. My CV was designed by the 17-year-old Laura.
I can’t remember what keyword I used to find this video, but it seemed to get right to the heart of the matter. Don’t get me wrong: I value all my studies and the work I’ve done, and I’m certainly not willing to throw my CV in the bin. But I started to wonder what was the common thread there: what is the theme and driving force of my career, what had inspired me? And have I perhaps along the way gained skills and experience that could be used for something other than the obvious one that my CV seemed to be driving me towards?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfNX1cHk-fE&w=560&h=315]
2 Laura Berman Fortgang: Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction (TarcherPedigree)
I was so inspired by Berman Fortgang that I bought this book as an audiobook and even completed the 90-day program (almost at least). These American self-help books promise the moon and the stars in three months, and usually what sounds too good to be true is exactly that. But I’m not saying you couldn’t be on your way in a new direction in three months with the help with this book. In any case, the book provides good tools to find out the main theme of your CV and life path. What is the song you want to sing in this world. And to find out why you may have been avoiding singing the tune in question.
Many of my loved ones may remember how I asked them some time ago, when I was doing the 90-day programme, which profession they would choose for me if they could choose any one that suited me, regardless of my professional background. My friends and family saw me as a writer, director, teacher and as some kind of Oprah -style performer, among other things. My CV, on the other hand, looked excellent for someone who wants to apply for an organisational position in the cultural sector. No one saw me as an organiser or administrator! I can only hope that my former colleagues do not share this view, even though I myself agree with these opinions of those close to me.
3 Brian Mayne: Goal Mapping: How to Turn Your Dreams Into Realities. The Practical Workbook. (Watkins Publishing)
This book was a gift from my mother-in-law back when we moved. Now I must mention that I am always at the same time both incredibly interested and slightly amused by these books. As you explore the world of self-help, the same slogans of Henry Ford, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein and Mother Teresa become a little too familiar. But if you want to create something new, you have to put scepticism, irony and cynicism on hold for a while. Who has ever created something new with them? They can be brought back as little helpers when it’s time to take practical action and assess whether the chosen actions make sense. But with caution!
In any case, the book provides a good practical way to put your goals on paper. And if you don’t have a plan, the plan may be to find one. This is what I did – and I found a plan! After all, all companies and organisations write down the most lofty goals and strategies and proudly present them in their PowerPoints without the slightest hint of ridiculousness. So why couldn’t a single person do the same?
4 Seneca: On the Shortness Of Life
At this point I was also inspired by a Finnish radio show on Seneca’s The Shortness of Life, if you happen to understand Finnish.
Seneca the Younger was a self-help writer of his own time, which was Rome 2000 years ago. His teachings follow the Stoic philosophy, and if you want to break away from the self-help craze of our time and still reflect on your direction, you can say you were inspired by Seneca.
But jokes aside. Olen miettinyt parissakin kirjoituksessani sitä, onko aikuisen ihmisen suunnan etsiminen hemmotellun länsimaalaisen naurettavaa ajanhukkaa maailmassa, jossa on oikeitakin ongelmia. Seneca may be able to help with this problem. He wrote his guide for the nobility of ancient Rome, who had the time and opportunity to think about what to do with their lives. Just like grabbing grapes to pass the time, the search for direction is also possible for us rather ordinary people nowadays. And Seneca doesn’t think it’s ridiculous at all to think about these things, in fact you have to think about them.
According to him, there are three possible paths to choose: contemplation, action and enjoyment. Of these, the third is the worst choice of all. The life of a person with freedom of choice is well spent when it is spent in contemplative activities, such as science or art, or in activities for the benefit of society.
How it seems that man often voluntarily chooses a combination of two bad things: self-induced slavery and, on the other hand, pleasure. Read your Seneca before it’s too late.
5 Anthony de Mello: Awareness
Let this fifth book be the disclaimer of this list. None of the above guides will help you find yourself, as a career has nothing to do with it. A profession is just a profession and what you do is just what you do. For example, my children, at least at this stage, don’t care what I do for a living. All they care about is who I am as a person. I think I also have a few friends who probably don’t really care what I do professionally. My husband would probably be happy if I made a lot of money from what I do, but I don’t think he’s with me for my work either. This book is a good sermon for someone who is getting too wrapped up in identity issues – or the world in general. Although de Mello was a Jesuit priest, I would not call the book religious.
I’ll expand the list when something handy comes along. My husband, my mother-in-law and a friend are partially responsible for these books being on this list, so a thank you goes out to them.
One more tip: Join My Expat Career Clarity Webinar on Friday July 1 at 10:00 CET.